Akahise Kadasorongoye: Transitional Justice Radio Project

The Akahise Kadasorongoye project was developed to contribute to critical reflection in Burundi of its own history, without judging and generalising the concepts of "good or wrong". According to Radio La Benevolencija, the stereotypical approach of Hutu versus Tutsi or vice versa still dominates the intellectual and popular debate, limiting the development of a shared history.

The 45-minute Akahise Kadasorongoye radio programme is being broadcast weekly on the seven main radio stations in Burundi, in the local Kirundi language, over a period of 24 months. Each programme reflects on a single year of independence and focuses on what happened during that particular year, up until 2012 where Burundi will celebrate 50 years of independence.

As part of the project, La Benevolencija will also train and facilitate a network of radio journalists to report on and encourage dialogue about the reconciliation process. The participating journalists are drawn from different media and socio/politico backgrounds. The approach is based on "learning by doing" principles and is designed to enable different media to deal in a harmonised and more reflective way on core issues that could destabilise the society. As a team, the network will work to open up the delicate questions around the truth and responsibility of the different ethnic-politico conflicts that influenced Burundi from its date of independence in July 1961.

Based on the political and social context, and findings from a baseline study carried out in March 2010, the Akahise Kadasorongoye approach is centred on three main communication angles.

• The development of a shared version of history of what happened in the past - Burundi has never had the opportunity to discuss its own past within a peaceful setting. A full five years after the transitional government and ten years after the Arusha agreements, Radio La Benevolencija suggests that Burundi might be ready to reflect, within a more peaceful setting, on its past.
• The putting in place of an adequate non-judicial Truth and Reconciliation Commission programme - The Akahise Kadasorongoye debates are also based on the idea that there is a need to put in place transitional justice mechanisms in an interactive way, directly involving the views and opinions of the population. Interactive media programming can help support an enabling society that can organise a transitional justice process in a constructive and culturally appropriate way.
• To enhance the possibility of trauma reduction to prevent potential acts of violence - According to Radio La Benevolencija, impunity is a constant source of frustration that often leads to serious forms of traumatisation for direct and indirect (second and third generation) victims. The longer individuals suffer from this lack of justice, sentiments of hate, fear, and vengeance tend to dominate the social landscape and effective ways of reconciling, and bringing together old belligerents are problematic. Previous transitional justice processes in neighbouring countries have shown the problematic relation of keeping societal stability and reconciliation, within a process of "hearing the truth and punishing the perpetrators". La Benevolencija wishes to accompany the Burundian population at large and the victims of group violence, in particular, through a well harmonised mass media campaign to explain these mechanisms as well as to avoid unnecessary sentiments of fear and the outbreak of trauma.

Conflict, Governance

According to Radio La Benevolencija, throughout the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, victims should be the primary stakeholders, but most often their voices are heard last (or not at all). Therefore, special attention is reserved within the Akahise Kadasorongoye debates on the representation of these victims as primary beneficiaries of the reconciliation process. Women victims are particularly encouraged to participate.

The combined listenership of Akahise Kadasorongoye's seven partner stations - Radio Nationale (RTNB), Radio Isanganiro, Radio RPA, Radio Bonesha, Radio Rema FM, Radio Umuco FM, and Radio Star - exceeds more than 90% of the population.

Radio La Benevolencija Humanitarian Tools Foundation (La Benevolencija) is a Dutch non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works to empower groups and individuals forming the target of hate speech and ensuing acts. It broadcasts radio soaps, discussions, and educational programmes, in combination with grassroots activities that provide citizens in vulnerable societies with knowledge on how to resist manipulation to violence and how to heal trauma, encouraging them to be active bystanders against incitement and violence.